3 Things I Learned On My First Disney Cruise
This summer I got to set sail on the Disney Wish for a few days and absolutely loved it. I’d never sailed with Disney before (although I had been on other cruises) and I now can say that I fully understand why there are so many Disney Cruise fans. I might argue that the Disney Cruise crowd might be more passionate than us theme park lovers!
The beautiful Disney Wish docked in Castaway Cay
My mom and I got to sail to Nassau and Castaway Cay as well as have one extra day at sea. We’d avoided sailing with Disney for years because we were afraid it wouldn’t be made for people traveling without kids. Boy, were we wrong!
Here are a few of the things I learned on my first sailing:.
The Adults Only Areas Rule
That’s right, you heard me. Now, while there were plenty of children on board with their families, we found that there were so many “adults only” areas designated on the ship that we didn’t have to worry about being bothered if we didn’t want to. The adults only deck allowed us to be up by the Cove Bar and they even passed around cold hand towels all day. It was so nice and quiet - but you’re just above the main pool deck so you can still see the movies they’re playing and get plenty of people watching if you want. I also enjoyed the small wading pools that were on this deck, allowing me to cool down just a bit.
I know it sounds crazy to ever travel with Disney and want to find “child free” areas but it is a nice option to have. I love that they cater to families, but also offer the respite of a quiet adults only experience. The Wish was built just right, in my opinion, with the largest adults only area of any of the ships, and I loved that we could stand in this area, near the front to watch the deck shows and fireworks, and not have to fight the big crowds down on deck.
Also, let’s talk about the spa! We bought the package that let us have unlimited access the Rainforest Room and were so thrilled. This is another option to get away from the loud crowds and chill out for a bit. The Rainforest Room was incredible with heated loungers, several different showers to rinse off in, saunas, and a frigidarium. There was also a huge outdoor area with two hot tubs and lots of lounge chairs and beds to lay on, if you’d rather spend your day in the sun out there!
Castaway Cay is Incredible
I know other cruise lines have their own private islands, but I’d dreamt of going to Castaway Cay for years and it did not disappoint. It was exactly what I wanted it to be. The beauty of the island itself is beyond explanation and the pictures don’t do it justice. I found myself thinking “places this beautiful are real?!” The whole island had this incredible laid back feel to it, with plenty of activities offered if you wanted to get involved.
The food at Cookie’s BBQ was delicious and everything was included! They had cut fresh fruit around and ice cream set up as well. I was so impressed and couldn’t believe we’d actually reached paradise. After the craziness that was Nassau, it was so nice to dock in Castaway Cay and feel safe and taken care of by Disney.
I’ve heard of experienced Disney cruisers not even getting off at Castaway Cay because they’d done it so many times but I don’t think I’d ever reach that point! We were some of the last people off the island and soaked in every last magical moment that we could. We cannot wait to get to visit Castaway Cay again.
We were some of the first people off the ship that morning and came upon so many fun characters!
And here’s a little hint from me: meeting the Disney characters was SO MUCH easier on Castaway Cay than it was on the ship itself, but you have to get up and out there early in the morning - they’re not out all day. But I was able to just happen upon Goofy and get an easy picture while the characters on the ship had long lines each day.
Disney Cruises Are Worth the Extra Money
This was my biggest question before going… was I going to enjoy this vacation enough to justify paying double the price from other cruise companies? I know Disney vacations can be more expensive and I am a Disney fan but I wanted to go into this with an open unbiased mind and see if our cruise was really worth paying double or triple the price of other cruises.
And now that I’ve gone and done it, I can easily say it is. I know understand why so many people sail Disney over and over again. Yes it’s expensive, but I walked away feeling like I got every ounce worth for my money.
The cast members were all incredible (as can be expected) and it truly felt much more like a luxury cruise than say, Carnival does.
Our stateroom was incredible and the cabin attendant did an amazing job cleaning it everyday. We felt so pampered.
The wait staff during our dinners were absolutely phenomenal. With Disney’s unique “rotational dining” model, you rotate to a different themed restaurant each night but your wait staff follows you so they truly do get to know you by the end of the trip. I was amazed at how personal this all felt and we felt like we became friends with them!
So tell me below in the comments, have you been on a Disney Cruise before and what did you think?
